Appeals on Tahquitz Plaza demolition head to PS City Council

Mid-century modern architect Hugh Kaptur worries one of his most prized works, Tahquitz Plaza, will soon be demolished.

The plaza consists of a pair of two-unit buildings located on Tahquitz Canyon across the street from Regal Cinemas.

“You won’t see buildings like this anywhere. The present developer doesn’t appreciate what he has here and I don’t think he really appreciates Palm Springs,” Kaptur said.

That developer is Nexus, which also goes by the official name O & M.

The managing member of O&M is Newport developer Curtis Olson and until recently Richard Meaney, whose business relationship with Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet raised questions about conflicts of interest.

The city granted Nexus a demolition permit on May 28, which the Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) immediately appealed, placing a 120-day hold on demolition.

The HSPB wants to designate the plaza as a Class I Historic Site, but Nexus appealed that process in late June.

“It’s a legal move that Nexus is doing. They’re hell bent to tear it down,” Kaptur said. “There are a lot of Palm Pprings citizens who not only love these buildings but who appreciate the architects of my era.”

Harsh criticism of the plaza’s demolition began when Nexus submitted plans for Aberdeen, a mixed-use residential and retail development proposed for the area of Tahquitz Plaza and the adjoining Prairie Schooner lot, which was one of the city’s redevelopment agency parcels.

Aberdeen (see video for renderings) would include 74 residential units, 17 live-work units and a cafe-style commercial building.

“This project could never be approved under the present zoning because the height doesn’t allow it, the density doesn’t allow it, the parking requirement doesn’t allow it,” Kaptur said of the proposed construction.

Those were among the reasons both the Palm Springs Planning Commission and the Architectural Advisory Committee opposed the project.

Nexus withdrew the project before the council could rule on it, but still wants to tear down the buildings.

“Right now there is no Aberdeen project filed with the city,” said City Attorney Doug Holland. “Some speculate that it will be resubmitted in the future.”

Nexus didn’t respond to our requests for comment.

Before Aberdeen, Tahquitz Plaza was slated to be the location of the original Hard Rock Hotel. Those plans fell by the wayside during the Recession. But city says the Hard Rock didn’t ignite a debate over whether the plaza being a historic site. In fact, even Hugh Kaptur said he was not opposed to the idea of the resort in that location.

The Tahquitz Plaza appeals will go before Palm Springs City Council next week on July 15.

“What the preservation boards are doing is suggesting there could be worthwhile economic use of the property that these buildings could satisfy,” Holland said. “And the developer says no, we recognize they are attractive buildings but we have a right to develop this for the highest and best use.”

This raises questions about whether a property owner has the right to do what they want with a building they own, even if that means tearing it down.

“Yes you do, but there is also some consideration with regard to the community itself and some of its other assets,” Holland said.